Lily Searle

LLB Law, 2014

Based in: London

First job:

Paralegal

Strangest interview question:

What excuse did you give to your current boss to attend this interview?

Best piece of careers advice received:

Your knowledge of law is a given but commercial nous and pragmatism are what will set you apart.

Ambitions for the future:

To become a partner.

Senior Associate- Equity Capital Markets at Fieldfisher LLP

Describe your current role and what attracted you to it.

My role involves advising companies who wish to list their shares on one of the exchanges operated by London Stock Exchange or the investment bank who is engaged by those companies. I advise on both the initial listing and subsequent fundraisings or transactions undertaken by the companies. I love the role because every day is truly different and I’m never bored. I am lucky enough to work with all sorts of interesting advisors, entrepreneurs, and colleagues.

What’s your favourite part of the role?

Doing a deep dive into the inner workings of different companies and helping businesses achieve their strategic objectives.

What are the key skills you learnt at Warwick that have helped you with your career to date?

Creativity, boldness, confidence.

Did you have a specific career path in mind when you chose to study at Warwick?

Yes. I wanted to become a solicitor, so a law degree was an obvious choice.

What top tips do you have for Warwick graduates who would like to work in your sector?

Don’t feel the need to study the corporate modules solely because you think they’ll look good on your CV. My most enjoyable modules were the creative or intercalated ones paired with other departments, such as the English and Biology departments. Each of these taught me less common and highly valuable skills that some of my more traditional modules did not.

What does a typical day look like for you?

There are often lots of calls or meetings, such as an all-parties call on a transaction and other smaller group calls with clients or key advisors. I might be drafting or reviewing investment documents, and I might also try and do some business development by catching up with some advisor contacts in the city.